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Monday, 11 January 2016

Sabudana Khichdi !

Sabudana Khichdi, a very simple dish that is very popular in Western India particularly Maharashtra

is mostly prepared as a fasting food. Soaked tapioca pearls are cooked with potaoes and crushed roased peanuts and finished with some lime juice. It sounds that easy but to get the prefect texture of the khichdi with each and every pearl separate and non sticky is the tricky bit.

I have seen many people going wrong with this and resulting in a gooey and sticky khichdi. Soaking time, and the amount of water you use etc matters a lot to get a perfect dish.

INGREDIENTS (No Onion No Garlic)

1 1 /2 cup Sabudana (Medium Size)

2 Potatoes

1/2 cup Roasted peanuts.

2 tsp Oil

1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds

2 - 3 Green Chillis (Chopped)

1 piece of ginger (Juliened)

1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder

salt as needed

2 tbsp finely chopped coriander

1/2 lemon

STEPS

Take the sabudana in a bowl and wash it 3 - 4 times in water. Transfer to a strainer and then was under running water to remove those white powder that settles at the bottom when you wash. You have to wash until you see clear water when you fill the bowl.

Fill water just a little above the sabudana and allow it to soak for 2 - 3 hours.

Chop potatoes into small pieces and microwave high for 5 minutes, so that they are almost cooked.

After 2 to 2 n half hours , you can see the sabudana absorbed all the water and looks something like shown in the third picture. In case you still see water at the bottom, strain it completely.

Take roasted peanuts and give a run in the mixie to make it a coarse powder. (reserve some to add as is)

I have used medium sized pearls. So 2 to 3 hours soaking is more than enough. If using large pearls then consider soaking whole night.

When soaking do not use more water, use just to immerse the sabudana completely.

After the soaking time, you shouldnt see any water ideally as the pearls should have absorbed them.

You can also leave the soaked pearls on a kitchen paper towel to absorb any extra moisture present. All these things will give you a non sticky khichdi with each and every pearl separate.

Only the water part is very tricky in this , do not use any water when you are cooking. Otherwise the khichdi will become very sticky n gooey.

Make sure the pearls turns transparent and loose their opaqueness. Thats the sign they are cooked well.

Sprinkle some fresh grated /dessicated coconut lastly if desired.

Some people mix the peanut powder with the soaked sabudana and then add it to the tempered oil and cook. You can do that as well. That way any extra moisture present in the pearls will be absorbed by the peanut powder.